The Flower and the Marionette
by Mizu no Byakko
Summary: He was a prince under a curse, bitter and unforgiving. She was the belle, offering herself in exchange. For only when he finally knew love, the spell would be broken. [AU][SasoSaku]
1. Prologue: The Tale Begins

**A/N**: Can anyone say cliché? I was inspired to do this by a beautiful song I had on replay. This is AU, which means it has nothing to do with the original Naruto universe itself, and this is very Beauty and the Beast-esque. Please do not flame just because you dislike the pairing.

Characters might get OOC during occasional moments, but I'll try my best. Constructive criticism is something I love and hate, so bring it on, and I'll try my best to improve. Also, no offense meant to Rock Lee fans. I just used him because he seems desperate for Sakura's love.

**Disclaimer**: None of the Naruto characters belong to me, but to Kishimoto.

**Information**: Remember, this has nothing to do with the original Naruto plotline; I'm just borrowing the characters for this AU fic. Let's just place the characters in the age gap between 18 and 23. Now, on to the fic!

The Flower and the Marionette

Chapter One: Prologue – The Tale Begins

_Once, in a castle far far away, there lived a prince and his servants. The prince was handsome and talented, but his heart was bitter and cruel. He treated his servants with disdain and prejudice, and looked down upon those less fortunate than he._

_On a stormy winter's night, a knock at the castle door brought about the visit of an old, haggard woman who requested to see the prince. When he appeared at the doorway, the old woman begged him for food and shelter from the cold. She said that she had nothing in return to give him but her sincere thanks. The prince laughed and turned her away. Again she begged him, saying that those who did no good would suffer for their sins, but again he laughed and turned her away._

_The old woman nodded solemnly and in a flash of brilliant light, she transformed into a beautiful enchantress. Blinded by her radiant presence, the prince fell onto his knees and begged her forgiveness, but she had seen through him and knew that he would not change. The enchantress put a spell on the prince, his servants and the castle, transforming the prince into a puppet with wooden limbs and painted eyes, but left his heart intact in a wooden container in his chest._

_The beautiful castle was transformed into one of broken stone and wood, tattered flags flying against the stormy sky. And the forest around grew taller, enshrouding the castle and its inhabitants in a mass of thorns and leaves._

_Before she left, the enchantress told the prince that if he could learn to care and love, and find someone who loves him only for his heart, the spell would be broken. But she also told him that slowly, the container that held his heart would crumble away, and once all broke away, he would die with a tortured soul, and his puppet body would remain in the castle forever._

_The years passed and the prince grew even more hateful and cruel. He kidnapped people from the nearby towns and brought them back to the castle, killing them and turning them into puppets like he, until all started to fear him and no one dared to tread in the cursed forest. Yet no matter how many he created, how many lives he took to keep him company in the dreary castle, he was always alone. For who could ever love a wooden puppet?_

-

The sun rose high and bright above the town, its brilliant rays cast upon the thatched rooftops of the townspeople's cozy homes. Cart-bearing horses clattered down the cobblestone with merchants in tow, loud shouts announced the opening of the daily market as sellers advertised their wares with bells and wooden signs. Haruno Sakura skipped down the pathway, leather-bound book in hand, humming a merry tune as she counted the money in her palm. She was running errands for her father today, and she wanted to stop by the library for another story after visiting the market.

Increasing her pace, she greeted the townspeople as she stopped by each store to purchase the necessary items. The merchants smiled at her and whispered compliments to their neighbors as she walked down the row of stores and towards the town library. The librarian had just unlocked the door when she stepped in, picking the nearest book from the shelf, the bags of goods dangling from her free arm. The librarian slid down from the ladder and greeted her warmly.

"It's nice to see you again, Sakura. What book do you wish to borrow this time?"

Sakura took a quick glance at the cover of the book she had picked off the shelf. It was extremely worn and tattered, the black leather having peeled off the backing of the book. The pages were also brown and frayed. Opening the cover and turning the page, she saw an illustration of a woman with long flowing hair clutching a staff, and a young man kneeling at her feet. As she read the words on the opposite page, the elderly librarian smiled at her.

"I'm sure you've heard the story of the prince before. This book is really old; almost no one borrows it these days. But some say the prince is still there in his castle, waiting for the right time." The librarian said.

Sakura curiously flipped a few more pages, glancing at each detailed illustration in wonder. Finally, she told the librarian that she would borrow the book, and with a smile, the librarian bid her goodbye and she exited, the tiny bell attached to the door ringing softly as she left. Out in the bustle and hustle of the morning crowd, she took a seat at the edge of the town fountain to read the book. However, she remained oblivious to the scene being caused just a few meters away.

"Another one! You are the greatest hunter in the town, Rock Lee!"

"Well, it's the radiance of my youth!" There came an enthusiastic shout directly behind Sakura. She jumped slightly and marked the page she was reading before turning around and staring into the face of Rock Lee, the town hero.

"Sakura!" Lee declared joyfully. "Have you heard the good news? You're going to be married soon!"

Sakura nearly dropped the book in disbelief. What did he say?

Immediately Sakura took notice of the finely cut diamond ring that was held in front of her, the sun glinting off its polished surface. She recoiled for a brief moment, before smiling halfheartedly and backing away. "Isn't it…too soon?" Sakura managed to choke out, trying not to snap Lee's heart into two pieces. Although she admitted that the town hero was an all round nice person, but he tended to act directly and was extremely blunt with words, like now, for instance.

"It is definitely not too soon! I'll protect you all my life; you'll always be safe with me, Sakura! I love you, and I will love you forever! Marry me!"

"I…"

"Don't worry, Sakura. I'll let you decide tomorrow."

Lee chirped, before returning to the village center with his hunting crew.

-

Morning soon turned to night, and when evening had just begun to settle in, Sakura sat at the wooden dinner table with her father, flipping through the final pages of the book she had borrowed from the library. Her father ate in silence, which was very unlike him as he tended to chat about the day's events. He still managed to maintain some optimism despite her mother's death, but today he seemed to be worried about something. Sakura put her cutlery down.

"Father, what is bothering you?"

"I'm going to make a delivery to the next town, and I'm going to go through the forest."

Sakura's eyes instantly snapped open, and she closed the book she was reading with a muffled thump. "The forest…father, many of our townspeople have disappeared into the forest in the past few weeks! You can't go!" Sakura looked back down at her book. The legend couldn't possibly be true…could it? But she didn't want to risk it. The librarian's words rang in her head. Her father sighed. "I'll be right back." He got up from his chair and exited the dining room. Sakura slumped onto the table. Her father wasn't one to act on impulse…

Just then, a clattering of hooves startled her from her thoughts, and Sakura turned her head briefly to see her father driving a horse cart towards the entrance of the forest, his blacksmith tools piled on the back of the cart. The wheels clacked as they ran off the cobblestone onto the forest floor, the sickly light from the moon illuminating the pathway. He had left without telling her! Sakura immediately sprung to her feet and ran after the cart, screaming her father's name. But soon, the clattering faded away, and she found herself hopelessly lost in the forest. The crickets hummed in unison around her, when she heard a scream echo from ahead.

"Father!" Sakura yelled, feeling wings sprout from her ankles as she ran.

The clearing loomed before her as she halted, breathing heavily. The cart lay abandoned at the clearing's side, blacksmith's tools scattered over the muddied ground. Sakura searched frantically for traces of her father, but there were none. That was when she saw it. It was a black stone turret rising above the canopy of thick trees. Running towards it, she burst through the bushes to see a great gate that lay open, leading to a dead garden filled with wilted flowers and withered grass.

She was about to step in when a cloaked figure emerged from the darkness. His tattered crimson robe was wound around him and covered his head in a makeshift hood, and in the darkness of the hood she could see two eerie, inhuman eyes, roughly hewn as if painted on. A hand shot from the tatters of the cloak and grabbed her arm, and she froze as she felt the sensation of wood brushing against her skin. Looking down, she saw that little knobs that linked the sections of his fingers, and the conjoined wooden portion of his hand and wrist. Just like a puppet.

"I have taken your father." A voice said coldly. "He will never be returned. Go home."

_And so they met, and so the tale begins._

-

Now, if you could drop this poor excuse for an author a review. Dx

What the 'prince' is dressed in right now is the same as what our favorite puppet master was wearing when he was sadly killed by Sakura and Chiyo. Yes, this fic is proof that Sasori-sama is still alive in my heart.


	2. The Castle

A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, y'all! I love you guys. Anyway, this chapter contains Hidan's foul mouth (you have been warned, and the rating has been upped) and introduces some other characters. Please do R&R again, and now, on to the chapter!

Chapter Two: The Castle

"What do you mean, he will never be returned?"

Sakura asked fearfully, seeing a bright flash of lightning net across the sky. The figure in the crimson cloak laughed, a low chuckle that sent a layer of ice crawling up her skin. She saw those wide, painted eyes in the shadow of the hood again, staring directly at her, and she looked away as thunder rumbled across the sky.

"It does not concern you. Go home."

And then he was gone.

Sakura's mind spun wildly. She had just seen it with her own eyes, the inhuman hand, those evil eyes, but yet she could not help but sense the aura of loneliness that accompanied this being. The fairytale, she knew now, had been real. The man, if you would call it a man, she had met did not seem very princely. But he had her father, and as she saw the cloak of red darting up the dead garden's slope towards the great black castle, she knew that she had to rescue her father, even if it meant giving up her own freedom in exchange.

She reached the entrance to the castle, a wide archway of stone, just as the rain started to fall. Thunder crashed again as the rain like icy needles descended in droves upon the garden, splattering off blackened roses like bitter tears. The interior of the castle was musky and damp, and she coughed on the layer of dust as she entered the main corridor. Brightly lit torches burned on the walls, illuminating her path. Something in her told her to turn back, but she thought of her father and pressed on. As the rain-strewn archway disappeared slowly behind her, she noticed a figure in a tattered black robe approaching her.

His hands were covered with black gloves, and he clutched a candle in one hand, the hot wax dripping onto his glove as he approached her. When they were face-to-face, Sakura saw lengths of blonde hair draped over his left eye, the rest tied behind him in a loose knot. Icy blue eyes surveyed her carefully, as if never seeing another human before, when suddenly he broke into a pained smile.

"So, you have finally come to break the spell!"

He whispered under the fire's flickering light. Sakura was taken aback, unsure of how to respond as the young man before her addressed her with such enthusiasm. Her mouth laid half-open in an attempt to answer, but the blonde quickly shushed her and looked around furtively. "Please, you must break the spell. You're our last hope." The blonde paused to look around again, before continuing.

"My name is Deidara. I was once the castle artist, talented in sculptures for the castle decorations. But then, that enchantress came and now, we have all become like this." He blew out the candle, placed it on the floor and removed his glove. The hand was human for as far as Sakura could see, but when he turned it over, she gasped in shock at the mouth resting in his palm. A tongue darted out before it slipped back in. Leaving Sakura wide-eyed, Deidara replaced the glove and fixed her with a hard look. "You _must_ help us."

"Who are you talking to, Deidara?"

Another voice startled Sakura as she turned to see yet a second robed figure swiftly approaching from the end of the corridor, followed closely by a third. As they came before her she noticed that one glared at her with vivid green irises set upon a pitch black sclera, the entire bottom portion of his face covered in a half-mask, framed with jagged black spikes of hair. The second had sleek silver hair with piercing violet eyes, and as far as Sakura could tell, there wasn't anything physically wrong with him. Narrowing his eyes at her, the silver-haired man spoke.

"Look, lady. If you're here, it means you have to fucking break the spell. We've been under this damn curse for ages now, and we're not gonna let you run away if it means locking your ass in—"

"Quiet, Hidan." The man next to him muttered. "It seems that Deidara has found the one who will free us all. Good, for the castle treasury has been slowly rotting away these long years. You must meet the others."

The one named Hidan scowled. Deidara nodded wisely. "This is Kakuzu—"He gestured to the man with the strange eyes. "And this is Hidan." He pointed to the silver-haired man. "Kakuzu is the castle treasurer, and Hidan is the priest who conducts sacred ceremonies for the prince." "You mean _used to_ conduct." Hidan snapped. Sakura took all these in slowly, starting to believe that she had finally lost her mind. How could one as foul-mouthed as Hidan be a priest? Slowly, she backed away. Deidara was about to take a step after her before a flutter of a crimson cloak caught his eye.

"Master…" Deidara quickly muttered, before gesturing to the rest to exit. He mouthed a 'good luck' to her before all three figures retreated down the corridor and vanished from sight. The ominous figure from before stood in front of Sakura now, fixing her with that permanent glare that seemed to indicate something bad was about to happen. His voice was laced with frost, and he seemed to spit the words.

"I told you to go home."

Sakura shivered again, before she summoned her courage and looked up into the painted eyes. "I am here to offer myself in exchange for my father's life. Release him and you may keep me here forever." The puppet laughed, wooden lips curving into a smirk. "I am not human, nor am I a full puppet. You'd be willing to stay?" Sakura nodded. She saw a glimmer of emotion flash quickly in his eyes before his wooden palm pressed onto hers, passing her an ornate brass key. "Take this, and free your father in the dungeon. Then lock yourself in. If you escape with him, I will take both your lives."

Sakura nodded quickly and closed her frozen fingers around the icy key, and following where he motioned her to, she darted down the moss-covered stone steps towards the dungeon, her surroundings getting darker and damper every step that she took. Finally, she reached a circular area surrounded by rusty metal bars, illuminated by a single torch upon the wall. Motionless shadows lay in each cell, propped up against the wall. She feared to see what they might be. Pulling her eyes from the horrifying sights, she approached the one cell where she could see the shadow moving frantically, as if looking for a way out.

"Father!" Sakura shouted in joy, sticking the key into the lock. With a click, the cell door swung open and her father walked out, looking dazed and afraid. "Why did you come? It is too dangerous…we must leave now." Her father said, grabbing her wrist. Sakura stood steadfast upon the wooden steps. "I cannot. Go back, father. For I must stay in exchange for your freedom…"

"No! Sakura, he isn't here, we can leave—"

"I am afraid that's impossible. I promised him, and so I must stay. But I can see it in his eyes; he will not harm me even though he is but a puppet. Go home father, everything will be fine." But Sakura felt a light flutter of fear in her heart even as she said those words. "I will come back for you…" Her father murmured before he sprung back up the stairs. Alone in the dungeon now, Sakura stepped into the empty cell and swung the door closed, before turning the key as the door locked. And she sat there, listening to the howling of the wind above her and the roar of the heavy rain, and she waited.

Finally, she heard footsteps on the staircase as the blonde she had met from earlier, still carrying his candle, came down the stone steps, a ringlet of keys in his other hand as he unlocked the door to Sakura's cell. "You stayed." He whispered to her, smiling. "The master asked me to bring you to your new room, he said you'd be here, and here you are of your own free will." Sakura felt appalled. She did not have to reside in the dungeon?

Deidara motioned for her to follow him as they exited the dungeon and walked across the main corridor, before turning through an archway marked "The East Wing". Empty suits of armor lined the hallway along with hanging tapestries. As she walked, Sakura noticed a painting that hung just adjacent to a suit of armor, and it was torn in half, preventing her from seeing the person in the portrait. Was that the prince's original self? She took a deep breath and continued walking.

They soon reached a huge chamber door, which Deidara unlocked. Stepping in, Sakura was awed by the spacious room and the large canopy bed covered with velvet sheets. Richly embroidered curtains lined the stone window that lay on one end of the room, and the floor was carpeted in burgundy. Candles on a three-stand candelabrum lay on the dressing table, burning brightly.

Sakura entered the room slowly at first, but eventually she forgot all her worries to admire the room's artistic design, and nodded towards Deidara, who returned her nod. "Oh yes, and the master also wishes that you join him for dinner tomorrow evening. All the clothes are in the closet for you. Good night." The blonde said as he exited and closed the door behind him.


End file.
